When Maryland redshirt sophomore guard Dion Wiley was diagnosed with a torn meniscus in his right knee last November, just before the most anticipated Terps basketball season in years tipped off, sophomore forward Ivan Bender related to the pain of Wiley's injury more than perhaps any other teammate.
Bender, after all, came to Maryland in January 2015 while rehabbing a torn ACL in his left knee, which he tore for the second time in the spring of 2014 after initially tearing it in 2013. Bender was uniquely qualified to provide support for Wiley, who would end up redshirting the 2015-16 season.
"I feel like whenever [Wiley] needed me, I was there for him for any advice or motivational speech, let's say. But he's a strong guy," Bender said Dec. 12. "He was working out with Kyle [Tarp], our strength and conditioning coach, and our trainer, Matt [Charvat]. So he really had support."
